Theatre Guide

APPENDIX 7 INDICATIVE SCHEDULES
T6123-REG
Promoting Effective Water Management
Policies and Practices (Phase 3)
Pilot Demonstration Activity

of Developing and Testing
Environmental Education and Awareness
Methodologies and Tools
Community Theatre Guide

Water Awareness Program
Tonle Sap – Cambodia

October 2004
Prepared for the Asian Development Bank
A Live & Learn Environmental Education Publication
Disclaimer: This report was prepared by consultants for the Asian Development Bank. The findings,
Live & Learn Environmental Education Page 1
interpretations, and conclusions expressed
2 Denison in Suva,
Road, it do not necessarily represent the views of the Asian
Fiji Islands
Development Bank (ADB)
Tel: +679 or those
331 5868 of +679
Fax: its member
330 5868governments. ADB does not guarantee the accuracy of
Email: livelearn@is.com.fj
the data included in this report and accepts no responsibility for any consequences of their use.
T6123-REG: Promoting Effective Water Management Policies and Practices (Phase 3) Pilot Demonstration Activity for
Developing and Testing Environmental Education and Awareness Methodologies and Tools
Community Theatre Guide – Water Awareness Program
TABLE OF CONTENTS
I. Introduction............................................................................................................2
II. Key concepts..........................................................................................................3
III. Things to remember ...........................................................................................4
IV. Warm up Games ................................................................................................5
The Name Game ........................................................................................................5
Environmental Words ................................................................................................6
Fish/Water bird/ Lake ................................................................................................6
This is a ……!............................................................................................................7
Where Do You Stand? ...............................................................................................8
V. Expectations check.................................................................................................9
Brainstorm..................................................................................................................9
Paper shape ................................................................................................................9
VI. Environment – basic understandings ...............................................................10
Basic statues - Bodies can be anything!...................................................................10
Basic Statues – Describing the environment ...........................................................11
Story board - environment past and present ............................................................11
Story telling..............................................................................................................12
VII. Ecology, ecosystems and sustainable environment .........................................13
Environment Picture List .........................................................................................13
Web of life ...............................................................................................................14
Field trip –................................................................................................................15
A sustainable environment: Introduction to sustainable development and
sustainable agriculture. ............................................................................................15
VIII. Conflict situations role plays ...........................................................................16
Role Plays ................................................................................................................16
Action.......................................................................................................................18
Finishing exercises and Evaluation..........................................................................20
Performance .............................................................................................................21
IX. Fact Files..........................................................................................................22
FACT FILE 1 WETLANDS................................................................................22
FACT FILE 2 THE TONLE SAP REGION........................................................23
FACT FILE 3 BIODIVERSITY ON THE TONLE SAP ....................................24
X. References............................................................................................................25

2 Denison Road, Suva, Fiji Islands
Tel: +679 331 5868 Fax: +679 330 5868 Email: livelearn@is.com.fj
I. INTRODUCTION
Community theatre workshops are a way of:
• Exploring participant’s knowledge, experience, feelings and awareness

of environmental issues.
• Exploring the local context and then the wider social, economic and
cultural context of environmental issues.
• Agreeing on collective and individual action to stop degradation of the
environment and ensure environmental sustainability.
Workshops with groups of people are a good way of allowing the group to examine
attitudes and gain information. Many people are aware of issues such as overfishing,
waste disposal, water pollution and logging but have never thought of the
consequences of these or other developments on the environment. Or they may be
aware of these as environmental issues and have not had an opportunity to meet with
other people, explore the issues and decide what they can do about it. In a workshop
using interactive drama techniques it is possible for people voice some of their
attitudes and concerns, to examine and discuss them and agree on actions to take
together and as individuals.
Community theatre workshops are concerned with action people can take as
individuals and as a community to contribute to environmental change while
maintaining and improving their livelihoods.

II. KEY CONCEPTS
Participation – in a community theatre workshop everyone in the group is encouraged

to have a voice. People listen and learn from each others stories, knowledge and
experience. Participants don’t need to be able to read or write.
Critical thinking – participants engage in critical reflection of their own situation.
Action – during the workshop participants decide on actions they can take to
contribute to environmental change
Indigenous knowledge –The workshops don’t assume the superiority of outside

‘Western’ knowledge. Peoples own knowledge and experience are valued. Traditional
games, stories and theatre can also be used throughout the workshop process.
Adaptation – there is no formula to running a community theatre workshop.

Workshops are adapted by facilitators depending on the context (the make up of
participants ie. elders, young people, women), the cultural context (ie. what is
appropriate), how much knowledge the participants have, the amount of time there is
for the workshop etc…. Workshops also change during the workshop as the
facilitators get to know the participants their expectations and level of understanding.

III. THINGS TO REMEMBER
Participants – an ideal number of participants is between 15 and 25 although it is

possible to work with larger or smaller groups.
Gender - when organising the workshop it is good to have an equal number of men
and women, unless the workshop is just for men or just for women.
Venue – depending on the size of the group, the venue should be big enough for
energetic activities. It is also good to have an outside space that can be used for some
activities.
At the start of the workshop give everyone a nametag and a program with general
topics and a timetable.

IV. WARM UP GAMES
Warm up games are a way of participants getting to know each other. They are a way
of breaking down barriers, building up friendships, trust and communication amongst
participants so that they can relax, feel comfortable and also start to think about
environmental issues, but most of all have fun! There are many ‘getting to know you
games’, these are just some examples. You may know some that can also be used.
For example, traditional Khmer children’s games or songs can be led by a volunteer
participant.
The Name Game

If the participants do not all know one another this is a very simple and easy way to
start the workshop.
What You Need

• An empty space and people!
How To Play
• Make a circle with everyone standing close together and no gaps.
• The leader goes into the centre of the circle carrying out an action (which
can be something relating to the environment or not…) and saying their
name. Or they can walk, jump, cry, sing, be an animal, be replanting a tree,
catching a fish, sowing or harvesting rice. But they must repeat the action
until they reach the centre of the circle.
• When they reach the centre of the circle they say, ‘My name is……’ loudly
and clearly and stay in the centre.
• Everyone else in the circle copies the action, following the leader into the
centre of the circle and then repeating the leader’s name.
• Everyone goes back to his or her place in the circle.
• The person on the right of the leader goes next.
• They must choose a different action and go into the centre of the circle and
then say their own name.
• The whole group copies them and they all go back to the circle.
• The next person goes into the middle.
• Everyone in the circle must have a turn.
Suggestions
• Encourage people to say their name again if they can’t be heard.
• Tell people to try to do a different action from the one the person before
them did.
Wan Smolbag 2002

Environmental Words
Fish/Water bird/ Lake
This game is intended to introduce words linked with the environment and
even linked to ecosystems. You could have tree, fish, water bird, snake, river, lake, forest,
soil. (2 specifics and one all-embracing) and change the words to whatever you like when you
play it. You may prefer to use ‘language’ words.
What You Need

• Enough chairs for everyone except the team leader.
How To Play
• The designated team leader stands in the middle of the circle, with everyone else in
a circle sitting on a chair.
• The leader goes round the circle giving everyone a name alternately e.g.: fish, water
bird, fish, water bird, until everyone in the group is either a fish or a water bird (or
whichever words associated with the environment you choose to use.)
• Make everyone with the name fish stand up and then the people in the water bird
group. This is to make sure that everyone is clear which group they are in.
• Explain the game: the object of the game is to find an empty chair and not to be left
standing in the middle!
• When the person in the middle of the circle says ‘fish’ all the people in that group
must change chairs.
• The person in the middle must try and grab an empty chair. Pushing, pulling and
cheating are allowed providing it does not get too rough!
• If the person in the middle says ‘water bird’ then all the people in that group must
change chairs.
• If the person in the middle says ‘lake’ then everyone in the circle must change
chairs.
• The person left in the middle must say ‘fish’, or ‘water bird’ or ‘lake’ and then the
game starts again.
• The game finishes when everyone is exhausted.
Suggestions
• Ask people to do it differently. Say ‘ Anyone who likes fishpaste’ Then all those
people who like fish paste must change chairs. ‘Anyone who wants to save the
flooded forests’. People wanting to save the forests must change chairs.
• If there are not enough chairs available, you can use a large concrete area or sandy
area and draw circles to represent the chairs or use floor mats or old rice bags and
specify how many people can sit on each mat/bag. You can even say that 3 people
can sit on all mats except one which can only have 2 people on it!
Wan Smolbag 2002

This is a ……!
This game works at whatever level you want. It can be played just for fun or to get everyone
thinking on their feet….or played with a message about the environment. Below it gives the
example of dealing with our waste…..at the end of the game you can ask questions on the
subject matter.
What You Need

• An empty space.
• A banana skin.
• A plastic bag.
How To Play
• The group stands in a circle round the team leader, who is holding the banana skin
in one hand and the plastic bag in the other.
• The team leader holds out the banana skin to the person on their right and say, ‘This
is a banana skin!’. The person on the right does not take the banana skin yet, but
says, ‘A what?’. The team leader repeats ‘This is a banana skin!’
• The person on the right takes it and says to the person on their right, ‘This is a
banana skin!’. This person then says ‘A what?’ to the person who has just given it
to them. The person who is handing over the banana skin then turns back to the
team leader and says ‘A what?’. The team leader replies ‘This is a banana skin!’
• The words ‘This is a banana skin!’ are repeated until they reach the person who is
being given the banana skin.
• Each time the banana skin is passed on, the question, ‘A what?’ has to be passed all
the way back to the team leader and the response, ‘This is a banana skin!’ has to go
all the way back to the person who is being given the banana skin.
• When the banana skin gets part way round the circle, the team leader can start to
hand out the plastic bag in the opposite direction.
• The team leader says, ‘This is a plastic bag’ and hands it to the person on their left.
They pass it on in the same way, coming back to the leader each time it is handed
on to ask, ‘A what?’
• When the banana skin and the plastic bag are handed to the same person the game
usually ends in confusion and chaos!
Suggestions
• If people get confused, don’t worry! Just start the game again. Don’t worry if you
don’t finish.
• It is a nice effect when the group is all turning their heads to ask the question, one
after the other.
• At the end of game you could ask of everyone what is the best way to dispose of a
banana skin and a plastic bag that is sensitive to the environment.
• You can substitute the banana skin and plastic bag for anything you like…for
example a picture of a car and climate change……climate change you would have
to act out as best you can…..at the end of this you could ask of everyone what is the
association between the car and climate change.
Wan Smolbag 2002

Where Do You Stand?
We all have opinions and beliefs shaped by the society we live in and the family we
come from. We often hold opinions that we have never discussed or examined
critically. This game, which is used by many organisations, makes us examine and
discuss these opinions
What You Need

• Three cards or pieces of paper, with the words Agree, Disagree and Don’t
Know written on them.
How To Play
• Place the 3 papers in different areas of the room.
• Make a statement about something to do with the environment. It can be
anything and you should try and make it relevant to your situation.
Here are some examples:
- Cutting too many trees in the flooded forests is bad for the environment.
- Plastic bags should be banned.
- Over-fishing is bad for the environment
- Rubbish and other waste can cause bad health
• Ask the group to go and stand by the paper they agree with. If we take the
first statement, Over fishing is bad for the environment, those who think this
is true stand by the paper that says Agree, those who are not sure stand by
Don’t Know and those who think it is wrong stand by Disagree.
• The groups must then discuss the reasons they have for thinking as they do
and choose a member of the group to explain these reasons to the other
groups.
• Each group listens to the others and then they are allowed to ask questions if
they want the other group to explain anything more fully.
• The team leader then gives everyone a chance to change groups, if they have
changed their mind.
Suggestions
• When the group has finished their discussion, the team leader can draw out
the main points of the discussion and talk about their own beliefs.
Wan Smolbag 2002

V. EXPECTATIONS CHECK
It is important to listen to what the group expects they will learn from the workshop.
The facilitator can then slightly adapt the workshop to the needs of the participants.
Below are a couple of activities. You can either choose one or do both.
Brainstorm
What you need – A piece of butchers paper and a texta.
How to do - An easy way of doing an expectations check is to do a group brainstorm

of peoples expectations on a piece of butchers paper. The piece of paper is kept up on
the wall during the workshop.
Paper shape
This is especially good if some of the participants can’t read or write.
What you need – a piece of coloured paper for each participant.
How to do - Each participant is given a piece of coloured paper and asked to make a
shape of what one of their expectations are. They can either fold or tear the paper or
do whatever they like. They then present the shape to the group.
Note: A common question is about the process of community theatre. The facilitator
needs to explain that community theatre workshops are different from other
workshops are not a traditional lecture style but starts with peoples individual
knowledge, experience, feelings, and awareness of environmental issues.
The facilitator can then say a couple of things that is expected of the participants ie. It
is important that everyone arrives on time and is able to come to the whole workshop.

VI. ENVIRONMENT – BASIC

UNDERSTANDINGS
These techniques can be used to help young people explore issues about the
environment in general or their environment in their own country.
Statue techniques, described below, can make simple environmental themes new and
interesting or create a new way of looking at simple environmental issues.
These techniques are also used in plays to signal the end of a sequence or to create a
picture for the audience to look at.
Basic statues - Bodies can be anything!

To start statue work you need to divide the group into pairs. One person is a piece of
wood; the other is the sculptor. The person, who is the piece of wood, has to stand
completely still and the sculptor shapes them.
There are two ways to do the shaping -a) and b):

a) The sculptor moves the person they are working with, using their hands to move
the body into the position they want to create.
b) The sculptor does not touch their partner but guides them into position, keeping a
few centimetres distance between their hand and their partners’ body. The partner
responds to the sculptor’s hand movements by moving. The second way of doing
statue work requires much more concentration and can be better for groups who
do not know each other very well and who find touching too personal or sensitive.
The idea of the statues is to make interesting shapes with the body. Nobody should be
uncomfortable, or in a position they cannot hold. For example, you would not expect
someone to stand on one leg without falling over! You could, however, give them a
chair to put their leg on and achieve the effect of having one leg raised. The statues
can show people working or fighting or hunting or fishing. They do not have to have
any theme at all, BUT they do have to remain completely still!
When the sculptors have made their partner into a shape they are happy with, they
should go and sit down. When all the statues are finished, all the sculptors walk round
and look at what they have done. You can ask them to talk about what the statues are,
as they look round.
When they have finished looking round the process starts again, but this time the
sculptors become the piece of wood and they are shaped. The new sculptors sit down
when they have finished shaping the wood and then they go round and look at the
statues again.
Wan Smolbag 2002

Basic Statues – Describing the environment

The next stage is asking a group to make body pictures of important environmental
areas or issues through statues.
• Make groups of 6 - 10.
• Each group is given a topic e.g.
-What makes up a lake
-What makes up a river system
-What makes up a flooded forest system
or they are all given the same topic.
• All the members of the group are involved in the body pictures.
• Each group must show their picture to the others, who must then guess what
everyone in the picture represents.
• Two or three people or more, can join together to make a piece of reef or a
tree.
• Once the groups have had a chance to show their initial ideas through
pictures the next set of pictures could then be:
• What do people use the lake for
• What do people use the rivers for
• What do people use the flooded forest for
Follow up with a discussion about why the lake or river or flooded forest are
important.
Wan Smolbag 2002
Story board - environment past and present
What you need – A large piece of paper and some art materials
What to do - Participants are divided into groups and asked to discuss what their local
environment was like in the past and what it is like in the present. Many people may
have heard stories about what the environment was like in the past, or may have a
traditional or religious story about the past environment. If this activity is done on day
2 the participants can be asked to talk to elders about past environments and bring the
story back to their small groups. Each small group are then given a large piece of
paper and some art materials and asked to fold it in half draw the past and present
environments.
Guevara 1995

Story telling
Each group presents their past and present environments to the rest of the group as a
set of pictures using a series of statues. The group can also choose to have a narrator.
Discussion
The audience then explains what they have seen
a) The group then discusses the past environment and ie. traditional Khmer (or other
ethnic group) stories and religious (ie. Buddhist) beliefs presented. What are the
message of the stories and beliefs? Are these things important to people now?
(religious beliefs may be presented therefore discussed in the next section)
b) The group then discusses the present and the consequences of certain actions on
the environment.
ie.
• what happens to rivers and lakes when we cut down all the trees and shrubs
on the banks?
• what happens when there are no more fish in the lake?
• the different things that kill fish
• what happens when you remove all the trees in the flooded forest?
c) After every group has finished the group leader could then ask how things in the
present could be changed:
• how the harvesting of the flooded forest could be done in a way that might
still retain the mangrove system or
• how logging could be done in a way that prevents problems like erosion or
silting of rivers and lakes.
• how waste could be better managed
N.B. This is a lot of discussion and can take time so is best judged by the facilitator
how much is discussed and at what level.
Wan Smolbag 2002

VII. ECOLOGY, ECOSYSTEMS AND

SUSTAINABLE ENVIRONMENT
Environment Picture List
What you need – Paper, art supplies, a board (or wall).
What you do - From the drawings of the past and present environments participants
identify various parts of the environment that they then draw or write on a piece of
paper and the facilitators then stick it on the board. A volunteer is then asked to
classify the pictures, and then other people can volunteer to change or amend it with
encouragement from the audience. They then explain the basis for their classification.
The facilitators then introduce the concept of living and non-living things and other
classifications such as land, water or air organisms, plants, and man-made or natural
objects.
Guevera 1995

Web of life
What you need – a ball of string
What you do -
Introducing parts of the environment
Each participant is given a picture (12 – 18 is a good number). Split into two or three groups
if there is a larger group. Have representative plants, animals, decomposers, a human and you
can have representative ecosystems such as forests, rivers, rice- fields. Each person introduces
their picture through movement and sound. As people are being introduced everyone is asked
to think about the interrelationship between the part that is introduced and the part that they
have.
Establishing the web

Everyone sits in a circle and thinks about the relationships they have with one another. These
relationships are established with a string that is passed from one person to the other. As the
string is passed people must state the relationship that exists between them and the person
they are passing the string to. With each pass participants must hold onto the string.
Encourage them to pass the string to those who have not received it yet. Feeding relationships
and positive relationships generally are the first ones that people say, encourage participants
to come up with negative relationships as well.
When everyone has received the string at least once, a web-like network has been established.
Ask participants what they see in the centre of the circle. What does this structure or image
indicate about the relationship of the various parts of the environment to each other?
Generally someone will say “if one part of the environment is lost, everything is affected”.
Testing the web

Give the group a concrete example like “what will happen if the trees are all gone”? The
person who is a tree holding the string lets go of the string. There is a slackening of the string.
What happened to the web? What does this mean for the environment? Have we proved the
statement that if one part of the environment is lost, everything is affected?.
Direct and indirect relationships

To prove that if one part of the environment is lost, everything is affected, one of the
participants is asked to tug the string. Participants are asked to also tug the string if they feel a
tug. Eventually the whole web is moving.
Simulating the niche concept

Redistribute the tags at random. Ask the group to think of new relationships based on the
number of bits of string they have. Ie. the human who originally held the most bits of string
may become bacteria. Most relationships will be direct and some may be indirect. This is to
encourage the ecological concept of ‘niche’ that all parts of the environment are equally
important, based on the specific function that they play in sustaining life.
Guevera 1995.

Field trip –
What you need
Handouts of food chain energy flow and water cycle photos of animals facing
extinction (obtain from local environmental NGO’s).
What you do
Visit an outside location to observe food chains and energy flows (particularly the
water cycle). Give out handouts with pictures explaining food chains and the water
cycle. Participants can then go off on their own and make observations that they bring
back to the group. Discuss the issue of extinction and share photos of animals facing
extinction with the group such as the white winged duck, the white shouldered ibis
and the giant ibis.
A sustainable environment: Introduction to sustainable

development and sustainable agriculture.
Small lecture and discussion.
Sustainable development means that people don’t overuse natural resources to the
point that there is nothing left for future generations. Ecosystem conservation is part
of sustainable development. It is important to take on issues of pollution water, loss of
species habitats and reduction of biodiversity.
Sustainable agriculture is the “management of resources for agriculture to satisfy

changing human needs while maintaining or enhancing the quality of the environment
and conserving natural resources”. It is concerned with
- food security – the ability of an agricultural system to meet the demands of people
from generation to generation
- economic and social concerns – there is equitable economic returns to everyone in
the community. People don’t lose income; in fact they save money over time by
preserving the environment for themselves and future generations.
SEAMEO Module 1
Group discussion - Discuss these issues as they relate to the local context

VIII. CONFLICT SITUATIONS ROLE PLAYS
ROLE PLAYS
Role plays are an ideal tool to use when introducing controversial environmental
issues. This exercise is to give people a chance to imagine they are in one of a number
of difficult situations and to try and solve them. People can create their own roleplays
or you can set scenarios that are relevant to the local context. There are two different
types of role plays. The first is with people working in pairs and the second is working
in bigger groups with people taking on different character roles.
Role Play in PAIRS

What You Need
• People in pairs.
• Role play situations - either those suggested below or ones you have made
up.
• A space for each group to work in.
• You can also have someone who acts as mediator making sure that the
situation remains realistic.
What You Do
• Each pair is given a role play - either those suggested below or ones you
have made up.
• The aim is to resolve the problem in a way which will have the least impact
on the environment. A compromise needs to be found so that neither side
feels the other has won.
• You can act out the role plays and then give each pair five or ten minutes to
work out their arguments and then get them to act it out to other pairs.
Wan Smolbag 2002
Example Situation For Pairs Work

You are walking with your friend he/she throws a plastic bag into the lake.
You are concerned about the effect of the plastic bag and the fact that it could be eaten
by a turtle or fish which could choke on it…….
Your friend just wants to get rid of the plastic bag and it has to go somewhere!

Role Play in Groups
What You Need

• Split into groups with 5 or 6 people in each group.
• Role play situations - either ones you have made up or that the groups make
up themselves.
• A space for each group to work in.
What You Do
• Each group is asked to think of a conflict scenario (or are given one) at a
local or national level and make it into a role play. Each person in the group
must take on a character and act out the situation which must also be
resolved in some way.
Example situation from the Solomon Islands

The chief of the village, unknown to his village community, has just signed a ten year
agreement with a logging company based in the city to come and cut trees from the
community forest. He arrives back in the village with representatives from the
company. He calls a village meeting for that evening to tell of the logging plans to the
community forest.
Possible roles involved:

1. Chief
The chief in this instance wants to convince the community to log the forest.
Possible lines of argument could be that he is thinking of work for his
community or the need for money to build a community school or he could
just be thinking of himself and hides this fact……..
2. Community representatives 1
This part of the community could be well behind the chief in cutting the forest.
They are interested in the work and the money they would get in return for the
trees.
3. Community representatives 2
This part of the community could be against the idea of the logging. They do
not like the thought of losing their forest as they use it everyday to hunt in, to
collect firewood, to get housing materials, to shelter and picnic in and it is
where they get their custom medicine….and what about their wild yam
project?
4. Logging company representative
They are keen to get everyone behind the logging operation as they do not
want to have to face delays. They may be good at promising all sorts of things
for the village…..but do they really mean what they are saying ……
5. Forestry Department representatives
They may be there to get a fair deal for both the logger and the
community….or are they….
Wan Smolbag 2002
The audience discusses what they have seen and what they think of the solution. Are
there any other possible solutions to the conflict?

Action
WASTE MANAGEMENT CARD GAME
Waste and its management is a challenge for any community, school, town council,
and government. There is a lack of awareness of appropriate waste management
practices and the consequences associated with the dumping of waste in certain
locations e.g. in rivers or in the sea. There is also lack of understanding on the issue of
burning waste. This is a simple game to get people thinking and talking about waste
and where and how best to deal with it. It gets people thinking and talking about the
consequences of their actions.
What You Need

• Lots of pieces of card or paper with drawings of as many different kinds of
waste as you can think of – bottles, plastic bags, cans, metal, car tyres, food
wastes.
• Card or paper with pictures or words associated with the disposal of the
waste - bin, bury, burn, recycle, garden, forest, sea…
• The whole class or community split into small groups.
What You Do
• Place the cards with the waste disposal methods written on, across the floor
space.
• Divide up the cards or paper with the different waste types giving one to
each of the six groups.
• Give each of the groups time to discuss amongst themselves the best way of
disposing of the waste in the cards they have been given.
• Then shout “GO” to get each of the six groups to place their cards against
the waste disposal method of their choices. Get them to do this as fast as
possible.
• The first group back gets to choose the order in which the groups will
respond … explaining their choices
• Get a member of the group to come and stand at the waste disposal spot and
say what they put there and why. Ask the other participants whether they
think this is correct…or to ask questions.
• Repeat this with the next waste disposal spot and so on …until they are all
finished.
• Continue this with each group until this is finished.
Wan Smolbag 2002

PACER
What you need
Large bit of butchers paper to write on, or the discussion can be just verbal if the
participants are unable to read.
What to do
From issues arising throughout the workshop participants are asked to have a
discussion surrounding realistic actions that they can take to improve management of
natural resources and ensure environmental sustainability. The facilitator can steer the
discussion around the following framework. PACER – Problem, Area, Cause, Effect,
Response.
People in the group commit to collective actions in areas that they can influence that
they will take together.
Ie. awareness campaign about waste management.
Guevara 1995
Individual action
What is something in your daily life that is not environmentally friendly that you can
reduce or stop doing? Everyone is encouraged to share this with the group and to
make a commitment.
Group vision - puzzle
What you need – painting or drawing materials, a long piece of butchers paper.
What to do –
Spread a long piece of paper on the floor. Ask everyone in the group to individually
paint and draw and contribute to the group vision. They can either draw their own
picture or add to someone elses picture. While they are doing this everyone else in the
group is silent. When everyone has had a turn people come together to complete the
mural. Then each person is asked to express his/her interpretation of the mural.
It is then cut up and each person takes a piece of the mural away with them.
Guevara 1995

Finishing exercises and Evaluation
At the end of the workshop it is good to have a finishing game that brings everyone
together. It can be done with a song or it can be done with a game.
Groups can also be encouraged to come up with a song before the last day, that they
can sing to the group or the group can learn together.
COMING TOGETHER
What You Need
• An empty space and people!
How To Play
• Make a wide circle with everyone standing close together and holding hands.
• Ask everyone to be quiet and to close their eyes.
• The leader tells everyone to walk forward very slowly still holding hands.
• They must be aware of the people around them and be sure not to walk into
anyone.
• Everyone walks forward.
• Everyone must keep their eyes tightly closed.
• When they are very close to each other in the middle of the circle, but not
yet touching, they stop.
• Stay still for a minute in the centre of the circle, then ask everyone to walk
slowly back to where they started.
• When everyone is back tell them to open their eyes.
Wan Smolbag 2002
Evaluation should also be done at the end of each day, but it is most important to do at
the end of the workshop.
Evaluation
Participants are encouraged to get into small groups, discuss the following questions
and bring their reflections to the larger group. As people talk about what they have
learnt they are also encouraged to talk about what some of the limitations and
strengths of the workshop were ie. What was the most useful? What was not useful?
What did they think about the facilitators? What did they think about the venue? Any
suggestions/changes for next time?

Performance
Group performance
The group can put together a performance based on some of the activities and
learnings from the workshop. Also traditional cultural tools such as shadow puppets
can be used in the performance. This can be performed in small groups to each other
or in a large group to a wider audience ie. community members and then a discussion
can take place after the performance about what was learnt and what are some actions
that can be taken by everybody.
Performance about endangered sea turtles, Vanuatu

IX. FACT FILES
FACT FILE 1 WETLANDS
70% of the earth is covered by water. Only 2.5% is fresh water. About 1.3 billion
people face water shortage. The figure is expected to double in the next 25 years.
Fresh water is vital for all life. It is a renewable, but finite, natural resource. Access to
safe water is considered a basic human right by most people yet today 1.3 billion
people are without an adequate supply and more than double that lack basic
sanitation. Exploiting freshwater resources for agriculture, energy generation, industry
and transport has enabled many countries to advance economically, yet increasing
competition for water among such uses is degrading the very natural resources on
which they depend. The natural water cycle, and the freshwater ecosystems such as
lakes, rivers and wetlands that support it, provide the primary means by which fresh
water is collected, stored and released in
the environment. Freshwater ecosystems also provide a wide variety of other goods
and services, such as food, employment, pollution control and flood management. Yet
these ecosystems are threatened by human overuse, as are the species that depend on
them such as fish, frogs, crocodiles, cranes, and dolphins. Up to half of these species
are in serious decline on all continents indicating significant degradation of freshwater
ecosystems world-wide. Climate change is already compounding these effects through
increased frequency of extreme weather events. In short, the environment is sending a
warning signal that is being largely ignored at present. Why protect our freshwater
ecosystems?
At present levels of water consumption and existing standards of mismanagement,

two thirds of the world’s population could experience water shortages by 2025.
Nature is the source of water, a multi-tasker absorbing rainfall, cleansing, generating

supply for drinking, cooking, cleaning, supporting plants and animals, and giving us
raw products to make goods. Water resources, and the natural processes that maintain
them, need to be managed wisely. Agriculture and logging operations represent a
major threat to the conservation of freshwater habitats and biodiversity.
Natural resources in wetlands and rivers represent millions of dollars in economic

benefits and a life support system on which people, plants and animals all depend.
Wan Smolbag 2002

FACT FILE 2 THE TONLE SAP REGION
General
The Tonle Sap, the largest freshwater lake in South East Asia, covers an area of
250,000 – 300,000 hectares (ha) in the dry season and around four times this area in
the wet season.
Threats to the Tonle Sap include over-exploitation of fisheries and wildlife resources,
encroachment during the dry season, and cutting of the flooded forest. In the
watersheds, the degradation of natural vegetation is destroying habitats and resulting
in deteriorating water and soil quality and increased siltation rates.
The large wetland system supports one of the world's most productive freshwater
fisheries and the ecosystem is essential to the survival of many globally significant
species. Although the lake provides for a huge population, human population and
development pressures are increasing.
Tonle Sap, which provides significant benefits in the form of fisheries production and
bio-diversity conservation, has been severely degraded due to overpopulation,
agricultural encroachment, forest fires, and harvesting for fuel and construction.
Meanwhile, Siphandon, whose channels serve as passageway for migratory fishes,

and acts as critical habitat for many fish species, waterfowl, and other wetland flora
and fauna, is also in danger of severe depletion if environmental safeguards are not
put in place.
Poverty
Despite the richness of the lake the Tonle Sap region has higher poverty rates than
most other areas of Cambodia. Between 40-60% of houses in the provinces next to the
lake are below the official poverty line, with some areas as high as 80%. Most
households are completely dependent on fishing and foraging with access to common
property areas under dispute. There are many female headed households which are
particularly disadvantaged. There is also a high proportion of ethnic minorities along
the lake who are not included in decision making and therefore have less opportunity
to improve their livelihoods. It is important to achieve a balance between production
and preservation.
ADB 2004

FACT FILE 3 BIODIVERSITY ON THE TONLE SAP
The ecosystem is important for the survival of many globally significant species of
brids, mammals, and reptiles found around the lake during migration.
Note: there is poor documentation of flora and fauna in the region. Numbers below
are just estimates.
Flora - The flooded forest of the Tonle Sap is the largest remaining example of this
type of habitat in Southeast Asia. About 200 species have been recorded and the flora
is different from many other wetlands along the Mekong river.
Fish – The fisheries of the Tonle Sap represent 50-70% of the catch for Cambodia.
The fisheries productivity in the lake is one of the highest in the world, which is
mainly due to the flooded forest. There are 107 species in the lake and even more in
the Tonle Sap river and new species are often being discovered.
Invertebrates (animals with no backbone) - invertebrates are very important to the

Tonle Sap ecosystem. There is a very wide variety of molluscs and zooplankton, and a
many crabs and prawns. They are an important source of food for people and wildlife.
Mammals – There are currently at least 15 species of mammals in the Tonle Sap
region. Some large species such as elephant and tiger used to migrate from the
uplands area before there were a large number of farms.
Birds – The Tonle Sap (mainly at Prek Toal and Boeng Tonle Chhmar) has the largest
colonies of waterbirds in IndoChina. Its floodplain is an important breeding area for
ducks, jacanas, bustards, rails, herons and egrets, cormorants, darters, ibises, pelicans,
and storks. 225 species of birds have been recorded.
Reptiles and Amphibians – There are approximately 42 species of reptiles (including

one water snake, seven turtles and one crocodile).
Threatened Species – Rapid human population growth and associated development

pressures, as well as demand for natural resources, are affecting biodiversity. Many
species are classified as endangered by the World Conservation Union, such as the
white winged duck, the white shouldered ibis and the giant ibis. See www.redlist.org.
ADB website 2004

X. REFERENCES
Asian Development Bank Website (2004) www.adb.org
Guevara, R (1995) Renewing Renew: A Restoration Ecology Workshop Manual

CEC, Philippines.
SEAMEO Regional Centre for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (?)
Sustainable Agriculture for the Uplands Training Manual Module 1, SEAMEO
Philippines.
Wan Smolbag (2002) Drama in Environmental Education – A Guide: Fighting

Poverty through the Protection of the Environment, A Wan Smol Bag Theatre
Publication, Vanuatu.
World Conservation Union Redlist Website (2004) www.redlist.org


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APPENDIX 7 INDICATIVE SCHEDULES

Pilot Demonstration Activity

Community Theatre Guide

Tonle Sap – Cambodia

Prepared for the Asian Development Bank

A Live & Learn Environmental Education Publication

Live & Learn Environmental Education Page 1

Community theatre workshops are a way of:

• Exploring participant’s knowledge, experience, feelings and awareness

Live & Learn Environmental Education Page 2

II. KEY CONCEPTS

Participation – in a community theatre workshop everyone in the group is encouraged

Critical thinking – participants engage in critical reflection of their own situation.

Indigenous knowledge –The workshops don’t assume the superiority of outside

Adaptation – there is no formula to running a community theatre workshop.

Live & Learn Environmental Education Page 3

III. THINGS TO REMEMBER

Participants – an ideal number of participants is between 15 and 25 although it is

Live & Learn Environmental Education Page 4

IV. WARM UP GAMES

The Name Game

What You Need

Live & Learn Environmental Education Page 5

Fish/Water bird/ Lake

What You Need

Wan Smolbag 2002

Live & Learn Environmental Education Page 6

What You Need

Live & Learn Environmental Education Page 7

Where Do You Stand?

What You Need

Wan Smolbag 2002

Live & Learn Environmental Education Page 8

How to do - An easy way of doing an expectations check is to do a group brainstorm

What you need – a piece of coloured paper for each participant.

Live & Learn Environmental Education Page 9

VI. ENVIRONMENT – BASIC

Basic statues - Bodies can be anything!

There are two ways to do the shaping -a) and b):

Live & Learn Environmental Education Page 10

Basic Statues – Describing the environment

Story board - environment past and present

Live & Learn Environmental Education Page 11

Live & Learn Environmental Education Page 12

VII. ECOLOGY, ECOSYSTEMS AND

Environment Picture List

What you need – Paper, art supplies, a board (or wall).

Live & Learn Environmental Education Page 13

What you need – a ball of string

Establishing the web

Testing the web

Direct and indirect relationships

Simulating the niche concept

Live & Learn Environmental Education Page 14

A sustainable environment: Introduction to sustainable

Small lecture and discussion.

Sustainable agriculture is the “management of resources for agriculture to satisfy

Live & Learn Environmental Education Page 15

VIII. CONFLICT SITUATIONS ROLE PLAYS

Role Play in PAIRS

Example Situation For Pairs Work

Live & Learn Environmental Education Page 16

Role Play in Groups